Martyr's Memorial in Margherita Bazaar Encroached by Local Businessman

Mithun Baruah

A Martyrs’ Memorial, built in 1956 at Margherita Bazaar to honour the valiant freedom fighters who laid down their lives for India’s independence, is now languishing in neglect and encroachment as once a revered site of homage and patriotism, it has today become a symbol of apathy and disrespect.

The memorial, constructed by distinguished citizens of the region, now lies in a dilapidated state, surrounded by filth and unauthorised business activity as local traders, shopkeepers, and businessmen have not only encroached upon the land surrounding the memorial but have also been accused of turning the sacred site into a dumping ground with spitting of betel nut, tobacco stains, used as a public toilets and rampant littering have deeply shocked the conscious section of society.

Although the North Eastern Coalfields (Coal India Ltd), Margherita, had constructed a small boundary wall around the memorial decades ago, the structure has deteriorated significantly. Cracks have appeared, and the wall now stands in a crumbling condition, unable to protect the sanctity of the site.

According to the Margherita Bazaar Committee, multiple shops have illegally extended their businesses onto the land earmarked for the memorial, operating in a chaotic and disrespectful manner and the situation has made it difficult to organise national events like Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti at the site due to space constraints and unhygienic surroundings.

Despite repeated complaints submitted to the Margherita Co-District Administration, Margherita Municipal Board and Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma, no concrete action has been taken so far.

Santosh Chetry president of Margherita Bazaar Committee, expressed grief and disappointment over the state of affairs as he strongly condemned the irresponsible behavior of the local business community and called on all traders and shopkeepers to uphold their civic duty by maintaining cleanliness around the memorial.

Speaking to the media Santosh Chetry also made a heartfelt appeal to Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as he urged the Chief Minister to launch a decisive campaign similar to the state’s crackdown on illegal beef trade to reclaim and restore the sanctity of the Martyrs’ Memorial in Margherita.

Various social organisations and local residents of Margherita have joined in the call, demanding urgent steps to preserve the dignity of this historic site and to ensure that the legacy of India’s brave martyrs is not forgotten or disrespected.

Also Read: Honouring Parag Kumar Das: The Martyr Journalist Who Changed Assam’s Media Landscape